WhatsApp rolls out usernames: chat safely without sharing your phone number

If you are one of those people who still values your privacy online, this news you have probably been waiting for for a long time will make you happy. How many times have you wanted to join the school parents’ group, the soccer team group, or contact a seller on Etsy, only to be held back by having to share your phone number?

Starting this week, WhatsApp is launching usernames, a landmark feature that will allow users to chat with strangers or join communities while keeping their phone number completely hidden. It is a feature that has been available on Telegram, its direct competitor, since the very beginning. But as you already know, WhatsApp tends to take its time, although Meta seems to be betting on it in 2026.

The company has decided to open reservations early so that users can secure their “ideal name” before the feature rolls out globally at the end of the year.

How usernames will work on WhatsApp

Until now, your phone number was your only identity on the platform. With this move, WhatsApp is adopting a model similar to Telegram or Instagram itself.

Here are the key points of how it will work:

• When the feature is active, if you start a chat with someone for the first time, that person will only see your username, not your phone number.
• There will not be a global search bar to “stalk” users. For someone to contact you, they will need to know your exact username.
• To prevent spam, Meta is introducing a two-layer privacy factor: an optional key associated with your username. If someone wants to send you a message for the first time, they will need to know both your username and that key.
• If you are not sure which name to choose, the app will include an automatic generator to help you create one that fits you.

How to reserve your username now: step by step

With a user base of more than 3 billion, the race to secure the most coveted names (such as common first names or registered trademarks) is going to be worse than the first day of seasonal sales. That is why Meta has begun a gradual rollout.

To check whether you already have the option enabled and reserve yours, all you need to do is follow these steps in the latest version of the app:

1. Go to Settings.
2. Head to the Account section.
3. Select the Username option and enter yours.

If it still does not appear for you, do not despair: the company has confirmed that the rollout will take place gradually over the coming months, and you will receive a notification in the app itself as soon as it becomes available in your country.

In any case, if you do not like the name you chose, you will be able to change it at any time, or even remove it. At least they have not taken as long with this option as Gmail.

Exclusive advantages for brands, creators, and businesses

This change will also benefit the social commerce and digital marketing ecosystem, not just everyday users.

Meta is aware of the importance of brand consistency. For that reason, it has announced that creators, small businesses, and organizations will have the priority option to claim the same username they already use on Instagram or Facebook.

This new feature will make customer service easier. Brands will be able to route pre-sale and post-sale inquiries through a direct WhatsApp link or username, projecting a much more corporate and professional image, without the need to connect visible mobile phone lines.

Image: WhatsApp